New Cairns WorkCover office opened by Minister Mickel
Published Tuesday, 19 August, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The new WorkCover Queensland office in Spence Street, Cairns, was today opened by Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel.
Mr Mickel said the new office was designed to help WorkCover address the changing needs of the region and to boost customer services.
“Rapid growth in the area in recent years has presented challenges that this office will help to overcome,” he said.
“WorkCover’s Cairns office manages over 10,000 policies for employers across northern Queensland from Cardwell to the Torres Strait.
“The office will assist injured workers and employers in the region receive faster decision making on claims, effective use of health professionals leading to earlier rehabilitation, and get them back to work quicker.
“Effective rehabilitation and a quicker return to work reduces costs to the State workers’ compensation scheme through shorter claim durations which is good for workers and good for employers.”
Mr Mickel said approximately 1500 workers’ compensation claims are lodged through the Cairns office each year.
“This new ground floor location, with free parking and conference facilities, will ensure improved access for customers to WorkCover services.
“WorkCover staff achieve significant results for injured workers and employers in the region including timely decision-making on claims, policy rationalisation, engagement of health professionals leading to earlier rehabilitation, and more effective return to work outcomes.
“Customer advisers provide employers with a single local point of contact for both premiums and claims. This positive relationship with employers helps WorkCover to tailor its customer services to suit the needs of employers.
“WorkCover has also streamlined its claim determination process to speed up the time it takes to make decisions. This is critical when a claim is received and determined.
“The faster the appropriate rehabilitation can occur, the quicker return to work can be achieved. Faster turnaround times lead to better return to work outcomes.”
Mr Mickel said WorkCover has also rationalised policy allocation based on an employer’s place of business.
“By account managing all claims relating to a policy in a single location, WorkCover is able to provide a more consistent account management service by developing a better understanding of an employer’s business and needs. It also allows WorkCover to identify trends in an employer’s policy and to assist them to better manage their claims.”
Mr Mickel said the Queensland Government has a long-term strategy – the Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Strategy 2004-2012 – to reduce the incidence of work-related injury, disease and fatality, focussing on high growth industries and those with elevated work-related injury rates.
“To help achieve these outcomes, effective workplace health and safety preventative programs and a fair workers’ compensation system are integral,” he said.
“Since the commencement of the strategy, fatalities have reduced by 23 per cent and serious injuries and diseases by two per cent.
“The proportion of claims for temporary impairments – three months or more absence – declined by 28 per cent and the average duration of these absences reduced from 43 to 35 days.”
Media contact: John Smith 323 71944 and Jane Rowe 323 71125
19 August 2008
Mr Mickel said the new office was designed to help WorkCover address the changing needs of the region and to boost customer services.
“Rapid growth in the area in recent years has presented challenges that this office will help to overcome,” he said.
“WorkCover’s Cairns office manages over 10,000 policies for employers across northern Queensland from Cardwell to the Torres Strait.
“The office will assist injured workers and employers in the region receive faster decision making on claims, effective use of health professionals leading to earlier rehabilitation, and get them back to work quicker.
“Effective rehabilitation and a quicker return to work reduces costs to the State workers’ compensation scheme through shorter claim durations which is good for workers and good for employers.”
Mr Mickel said approximately 1500 workers’ compensation claims are lodged through the Cairns office each year.
“This new ground floor location, with free parking and conference facilities, will ensure improved access for customers to WorkCover services.
“WorkCover staff achieve significant results for injured workers and employers in the region including timely decision-making on claims, policy rationalisation, engagement of health professionals leading to earlier rehabilitation, and more effective return to work outcomes.
“Customer advisers provide employers with a single local point of contact for both premiums and claims. This positive relationship with employers helps WorkCover to tailor its customer services to suit the needs of employers.
“WorkCover has also streamlined its claim determination process to speed up the time it takes to make decisions. This is critical when a claim is received and determined.
“The faster the appropriate rehabilitation can occur, the quicker return to work can be achieved. Faster turnaround times lead to better return to work outcomes.”
Mr Mickel said WorkCover has also rationalised policy allocation based on an employer’s place of business.
“By account managing all claims relating to a policy in a single location, WorkCover is able to provide a more consistent account management service by developing a better understanding of an employer’s business and needs. It also allows WorkCover to identify trends in an employer’s policy and to assist them to better manage their claims.”
Mr Mickel said the Queensland Government has a long-term strategy – the Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Strategy 2004-2012 – to reduce the incidence of work-related injury, disease and fatality, focussing on high growth industries and those with elevated work-related injury rates.
“To help achieve these outcomes, effective workplace health and safety preventative programs and a fair workers’ compensation system are integral,” he said.
“Since the commencement of the strategy, fatalities have reduced by 23 per cent and serious injuries and diseases by two per cent.
“The proportion of claims for temporary impairments – three months or more absence – declined by 28 per cent and the average duration of these absences reduced from 43 to 35 days.”
Media contact: John Smith 323 71944 and Jane Rowe 323 71125
19 August 2008